One could say that Bruce Springsteen has fallen into a trap of being the most recent target of a humorous video shared by former President Donald Trump on his social media outlet, Truth Social. A playful meme shared on Wednesday, May 21st, featured Trump hitting a golf ball that transitions into a footage of Springsteen tripping on stage, contrived as if the golf ball hit him right at the back.
This humorous video was another episode in the escalating clash between the two high-profile figures. This war of words was initiatiated by Springsteen during his Land of Hope and Dreams tour in Manchester, England, where he used his platform to unleash a public tirade against Trump and his administration.
Springsteen, known for his political outspokenness, communicated to his audience that, in his eyes, America is currently run by a ‘corrupt and incompetent administration’. It is worth noting that this rock musician was adamantly supportive of Kamala Harris in the year 2024.
In the same event, the famed rockstar launched a couple of politically-charged analogies against Trump-led America. Springsteen had stated, ‘The richest men are taking pride from abandoning the world’s poorest children to sickness and death’, a thinly veiled attack on the former administration. He made disconcerting accusations against ‘loyal American workers’ and their alleged mistreatments.
He also criticized unnamed individuals for supposedly ‘abandoning our great allies and rallying with dictators’, a sentiment that clearly bore a negative stance towards the previous leadership. Interestingly, Springsteen did not spare lawmakers, as he berated them for their alleged inaction against purported abuses by the ‘unfit president and a rogue government’.
Trump, always ready on his feet, didn’t sit back in silence. He swiftly retorted with a stinging response, branding Springsteen as ‘dumb as a rock’ who couldn’t understand what was happening around him. Trump then delicately attacked Springsteen’s physical appearance, referring to him disparagingly as a ‘dried-out prune of a rocker’, and suggesting he should keep quiet unless he observed the situation within the country.
Trump’s language became even more impassioned as he exposed his profound disliking for the musician and his left-leaning political preferences. He labeled Springsteen an ‘obnoxious jerk’ and a fervent supporter of ‘Crooked Joe Biden’, who Trump perceives as ‘a mentally incompetent fool’ and perceives his tenure as ‘the worst ever presidency’ which came perilously close to ruin.
The former President then made headlines by pushing for a ‘major investigation’ into prominent figures such as Springsteen, who lent their support to Kamala Harris amidst the 2024 election campaign. This could be considered a strategic move to counteract the previous administration’s strong celebrity backing.
The White House then entered the fray with a droll response directed at Springsteen. Adding to the string of clever retorts, the spokesperson used a selection of Springsteen’s song titles to craft a fierce critique against the musician. The message insinuated that, upon his return home, Springsteen would face the reality of his dwindling popularity and enduring criticism due to his vocally anti-Trump sentiments.
It is noted that the tensions between the two figures were not without previous context. Springsteen had performed for a campaign rally supporting Harris, the former Vice President, in Georgia. It seems that this way of intertwining music, politics, and hard-line stances against former leadership has become a consistent attribute of Springsteen’s public image.
On the lighter note, Donald Trump has developed a peculiar way to engage with his adversaries through his infamous golf ball memes. Clearly, Springsteen is not the first to fall ‘victim’ to these novel creations on social media.
A quick glance at the past would reveal that Trump’s golf ball videos had a consistent theme. For instance, in October 2023, he had posted a similar video portraying him striking a golf ball that seemingly flew across continents, culminating in it hitting Joe Biden in the head and causing him to stumble.
In 2022, Trump posted another video in which it was designed to appear as if Biden was knocked off his bike by one of Trump’s golf shots. This humorous and creative style of memes has been something to behold in the social media sphere.
During his first term in office in 2017, Trump impressed the world with a similar distinctive sports-themed video. The animated video showed Trump striking a golf ball that, as part of the parody, hit his 2016 electoral rival Hillary Clinton.
It would seem that, in the digital age, political discourse and criticism have taken on new forms. From rockstars to ex-presidents, social media has become a battleground of catchy videos, strategic investigations, and narratives crafted to give one an upper hand.
All the while, it has become increasingly interesting to observe how today’s leaders and influencers are masterfully employing words and visuals to engage the hearts and minds of citizens and followers nationwide.